UWO - Rosé

Review: “Vienna comes to life in concert at UWO”

Vienna came alive last night in a room thousands of miles from Austria, thanks to the music of a former Viennese, Alfred Rose, and pianist Damiana Bratuz.

Both are on the faculty of the University of Western Ontario College of Music, concerned with a far different world to that of 1935 when Mr. Rose's Sonata in A major was written.

The young man who wrote the Sonata, however, felt the strength and vitality of Vienna, besides melodies associates with its musical life.

Naturally he felt the substance of the Viennese world of music—concerts, operas and other musical manifestations—because he belonged to that world's center.

So, although a listener such as me, who never has seen Vienna, could not envision the city or feel the atmosphere as can someone who knows Vienna well, he would realize the music presents the real thing, not a musical fantasy.

Dr. Bratuz gave skillful realization to the Sonata, helped by her own knowledge of the city in more recent years and her acquaintance with the musical traditions which were the life of Mr. Rosé' s world. The music had beauty, strength and interest, fluently linked in the three movements, as performed by the pianist.

Leonore Crawford, The London Free Press, March 25, 1968.